New York | September 23,2025 | SKY LINK TIMES
External Affairs Minister(EAM) S.Jaishankar met with Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro on Monday (Indian time) in New York, ahead of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The discussions reinforced the growing strategic partnership between India and the Philippines, with a focus on defence, maritime cooperation, and the Indo-Pacific region.
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S.Jaishankar’s Meeting Ahead of UNGA 80
Taking to social media platform X, Jaishankar said:
> “Pleased to meet Secretary of Foreign Affairs Theresa Lazaro of Philippines at the start of UNGA 80 in New York. We followed up on the recent State Visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to India. Also discussed our cooperation in the UN and the Indo-Pacific region.”
Lazaro, in her post, echoed the sentiment, describing the engagement as one that “reaffirms our 2 countries’ commitment as Strategic Partners to actively develop cooperation in political, defence and security, the maritime domain, etc.”
Context: Marcos Jr.’s State Visit to India
This meeting builds on the momentum of Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. five-day State Visit to India in August, where both nations pledged closer collaboration across multiple domains.
During a joint press conference with Marcos Jr. in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described India and the Philippines as “friends by choice and partners by destiny.” He highlighted that while formal diplomatic ties are relatively young, cultural connections date back centuries, pointing to the Philippines’ Ramayana Maharadia Lawana as living proof of shared heritage.
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Defence and Maritime Cooperation
Both leaders underscored the importance of defence and maritime security cooperation, especially in the context of the Indo-Pacific. The Philippines’ defence modernisation drive and India’s expanding defence manufacturing capabilities—exemplified by the BrahMos missile project—are key pillars of this partnership.
President Marcos Jr. previously expressed confidence in India’s role as a reliable partner in ensuring a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, signalling shared interests in regional stability.
Cultural and Strategic Bond
PM Modi’s statement that the relationship is not just a “friendship of the past, but a promise for the future” reflects India’s long-term vision for engagement with Southeast Asia. Both nations continue to deepen ties through trade, defence, technology, and cultural diplomacy.
The Jaishankar–Lazaro meeting in New York further cements this trajectory, positioning India and the Philippines as key strategic partners within the Indo-Pacific framework and on the global stage at the UN.
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